


A Samhain Gift

by Rivana



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-15
Updated: 2011-11-15
Packaged: 2017-10-26 03:02:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/277947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivana/pseuds/Rivana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a thousand worlds they would never have met, but on this day, on this hour, Dean receives comfort from a man who knows all about the end of the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Samhain Gift

**Author's Note:**

> This was going to be crack, but Xander insisted on being a comfortador instead. Theoretically this takes place some time during season 4 or 5 of Supernatural.

”So you’re saying that Halloween is supposed to be this really quiet holiday? No demons and shit?” Dean felt his eyebrows rise of their own volition.

“Yup, that’s pretty much it. Not really sure why, guess they just get creeped out by all the fake demons running around or something."

“Riiight. So, you’ve never really hunted before have you?”

The shaggy haired man in the Helsing costume looked at him askance.

“Huh?”

“Cause man you had me going for a while, but everyone knows freaky shit always goes down on Halloween. Ghosts and ghouls and witches, oh my.”

“That’s because you’re fighting in different wars Dean.” Castiel’s voice sounded too loud for that smoky tenor of his. Dean almost jumped at the suddenness since he had heard no preceding flapping of wings.

“A bell, Cas. You need a freakin' bell. And what's with the appearing thing? There's a civvie here for God's sake."

Castiel frowned at the wording, but did not chide in any other way.

“Alexander is not, as you call it, a civvie. But nor is he supposed to be talking to you."

“Hey, still standing right here,” Xander interjected. “And I talk with whoever I damn well choose."

Dean was half prepared to watch the man smote right there on the spot, but Castiel did not so much as blink.

“My apologies Knight, but this is not, as I have already stated, your war. This is the night when the wall between worlds is thinnest. That is why you can interact in this manner. Any other day and you could have been but ten feet from each other yet never have met. Your world and Dean’s are very different. His is human, yours is not.”

“What? He some kind of demon?” Dean’s hand went to the dagger at the small of his back.

Xander rolled his eyes and did not look impressed.

“Don’t even,” he said. “So, who are you, creepy-pop-in-out-of-nowhere guy?”

“I am Castiel, an angel of the Lord.”

“Right?” Xander cocked his head to the side, looking a bit like a confused puppy. If by puppy you mean the hellhound kind of puppy that could kill you with a sniff and a lick.

“Which lord would that be?”

“He’s talking about The Lord Thy God lord," Dean said helpfully.

“Oh.” Xander seemed to think about that for a minute. “Which god?”

Dean rolled his eyes. Really, like, for real? This was what he got stuck doing on a Halloween that had actually been pretty nice and quiet for once?

“The God, you dimwit! The Christian, created the world in 7 days, father of angels and humans and, and starter of Apocalypses, all mighty GOD!” Dean didn’t mean to shout, really he didn’t, but come on!

“Dean,” Castiel said in his most soothing tone.

The hunter sighed and hung his head a little.

“What?” he asked. Tired, he was so, so, very tired.

“Things are a bit, complicated, when it comes to this particular mortal. He is not, completely, from this world.” And could the angel possibly sound any more hesitant?

“Really?” Xander asked. “Did someone make a wish or something?”

A wish? Dean sighed mentally. Whatever man, could the crazy just go away already?

“Not as such, no. It’s--” and now Castiel looked embarrassed, which was just weird, “to be honest it is, as you would say, above my paygrade.”

“Oh." And did the Xander person really have to sound so damn cute when he puffed out air like that? That shit just wasn't fair. “I’m sorry then, didn’t mean to make you lose face or anything. Is there someone's ass I can kick for you, maybe?"

“It is kind of you to offer Knight, but the witching hour is almost over and soon we must all return to our own worlds."

“That’s too bad then. Guess it was nice meeting you.” Xander’s grin was blinding. The kind you just wanted to kiss or punch away.

“It was an honor meeting you Knight. There are stories about you in the upper realms of Heaven.”

“Really? Cool.” Xander turned his wiser-than-could-be-normal eyes to Dean, who just shrugged and felt a bit ill all of the sudden.

“Don’t ask me man, I’m just the default Apocalypse stopper, they don't tell me jack shit.”

Xander sent an irritated look at Castiel.

“They never do.” He cocked his head to the side again, this time looking as if he was considering something important.

"Well, I guess since I'm in the habit of breaking rules I might as well help out a bit anyway."

He took two swift steps forward, landing him nose to nose with Dean. The hunter shifted a bit awkwardly, but stood his ground.

“What?” Dean asked, refusing to be intimidated by this guy who apparently had Castiel all but bowing and scraping.

A small, but genuine looking smile played on the other guys lips and he raised his arms in a friendly gesture.

“I was just going to offer a hug man. Everybody deserves a hug now and again; it’s good for the soul.”

“Dude, I don’t do chick-flick moments,” Dean said, carefully re-examining the dagger at his back. He didn't care what Cas said, this guy was definitely crazy.

“You're missing out then, seriously. Hugs are almost as good as Twinkies for everything that ails you.”

Twinkies, seriously? Dean chanced a look at Castiel, but the angel looked completely unruffled and now seemed almost studiously disinterested in the proceedings.

“Yeah well, I think I’ll live,” he said, with what he hoped was his usual cocky manner.

Xander sighed, or more like puffed out an annoyed little breath again, which really shouldn’t be that cute. Then before Dean could react he had taken that last step and was closing his arms around the hunter in a firm, warm embrace. At first Dean stiffened and was almost ready to pry the arms away, but somehow after a second that just did not seem so important. Instead he removed his hand from the dagger and raised both arms to press the strange, yet so very familiar, body against his own.

Xander tightened his hold a bit more and breathed. Dean tightened his hold in response and somehow found his head buried in the other's shoulder.

“It’s gonna be okay,” Xander’s voice promised, close to his right ear. "Just remember that love can pretty much conquer anything and good old fashioned stubbornness will take care of the rest. Oh, and kicking ass is always good for morale if nothing else."

Dean huffed out a laugh and tightened his hold a bit more. This was obviously a dream so what did it matter anyway? Tears prickled his eyes and he buried his head further into the other man’s shirt. Breathing deeply he smelled wood, chocolate and cloves. It felt like safety, like home.

“Thank you,” he whispered gruffly when he remembered how to speak again. Then he reluctantly let go of the other man, though his body cried at the almost-pain of parting from that warmth.

“You’re welcome,” Xander smiled again and kissed him chastely on the lips. “Good luck,” he said. For a moment they just stared at each other. Hazel eyes gazing into hazel eyes with a kind of twin desire to do right burning in each depth. A minute went buy, or maybe a year. Then suddenly a clock struck one in the distance and Xander started to glow, like some kind of fairy tale angel and not like those fuckers who wanted to end the world.

“Guess that’s my cue,” he said and stepped back. “Goodbye Castiel, goodbye Dean.”

“Fare thee well Knight,” spoke Castiel. Dean coughed a bit before joining in with the farewells. "Yeah, bye Xan."

“Bye.”

A blinding flash of light and he was gone. Dean felt the sudden darkness like an almost physical pain, but he also felt curiously at peace. He stared at the spot where Xander had disappeared from for a moment before turning to Castiel.

“Cas, what the hell?” he asked.

Castiel simply smiled a bit.

“A new year’s gift, perhaps,” he said and then he too was gone.

Dean blinked and shook his head. Halloween, always with the crazy. Well, at least there didn't seem to be anything nefarious going on this night. Maybe he and Sam would have time to relax for a while before their next job. He smiled at the prospect and started to walk towards their motel. A curious, but soothing scent drifted on the wind; wood, chocolate and cloves.


End file.
